Hungary’s parliament elected Andras Baka as the country’s president on August 11, 2026, with 140 votes in favor and six against; the opposition Fidesz party boycotted the vote [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Baka, 73 years old, was nominated by Prime Minister Peter Magyar’s ruling Tisza party, which holds a two-thirds majority in parliament [1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9].

Baka previously served as president of Hungary’s Supreme Court but was removed in 2011 after publicly criticizing judicial reforms instituted under Viktor Orban’s Fidesz government [1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 6, 10, 9]. Before leading the Supreme Court, he had a 17-year tenure as a judge at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) [3, 8, 10, 9].

The outgoing president, Tamas Sulyok, an Orban ally, was removed in July 2026 through a constitutional amendment pushed by the Tisza government [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Fidesz condemned the removal, accusing the Tisza government of authoritarianism and describing Sulyok’s ouster as "tyrannical" [1, 2, 4, 5].

Baka’s role is largely ceremonial but carries symbolic weight as a sign of dismantling Orban’s legacy and restoring the rule of law [1, 2, 4, 5]. He said, "The majority of society now feels a sense of liberation and hope. Others feel disappointment and uncertainty. In a democratic society, this is not an anomaly, but a natural state of affairs." He added, "There is one thing we certainly cannot do, we cannot build the new Hungary on revenge." [1, 2]

Prime Minister Magyar praised Baka’s appointment, saying "Baka’s life served as an example of commitment to the democratic rule of law and constitutional principles" and that "the country needs to be guided back onto the path of the rule of law and constitutional governance." [3, 4]

The new Tisza government has passed reforms limiting the prime minister to two terms and members of parliament to three terms. It has also restored oversight powers to the Constitutional Court [1]. Public service media have remained off air since July 9 as they undergo restructuring aimed at regaining independence from control imposed during the Fidesz era [1].

Baka was nominated by the Tisza party on August 8, 2026, and will officially take office on August 19, 2026 [3, 5]. Parliamentary seats are dominated by the Tisza party with 141 seats, while Fidesz holds 52 in opposition [4].